Processes, Systems, and Information, 2e (McKinney/Kroenke) Chapter Business Processes, Information Systems, and Information 1) Business processes involve resources, such as people, computers, and data and document collections Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 2) All repositories are databases Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 3) Most businesses choose not to standardize business processes in order to avoid inconsistencies in results Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 4) Standardized business processes reduce risks Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 5) The five-component framework is present in every information system, from the simplest to the most complex Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 6) Both programs and procedures are instructions Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 7) According to the five-component framework, programs tell people what to do, and procedures tell hardware what to Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 8) All information systems include a computer Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 9) The quality of an information system is determined by the quality of the user's thinking Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 10) The five-components model has made it difficult to identify problems in an information system Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 11) The five-component framework can be used when assessing the scope of new systems Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 12) Changing the structure of existing databases is an easy task Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 13) Ordering additional hardware for an information system is a complex task Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 14) Procedures link information systems to processes Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 15) A process cannot be supported by more than one information system Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 16) Procedures anchor an information system to a process Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 17) Each information system has a different procedure for every process the information system supports Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 18) Scheduling work shifts and calculating daily sales tax totals are examples of dynamic processes Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 19) Businesses have thousands of different processes, among which some processes are stable Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 20) Highly-standardized processes are done in different ways each time regardless of who is working on it Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 21) Changes in structured processes are easy to implement Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 22) Control is critical in structured processes Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 23) Innovation is not expected in structured processes, but it is required in dynamic processes Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 24) Effectiveness is an important characteristic of both structured and dynamic processes Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 25) Procedures for dynamic processes typically delimit what the users of a system can and under what conditions they can it Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 26) Dynamic processes cannot be reduced to fixed activities done the same way every time Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 27) Changes to dynamic processes are slow, made with deliberation, and are difficult to implement Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 28) Dynamic processes are unstructured Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 29) The actors in a dynamic process collaborate and give feedback to each other Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 30) Dynamic processes have objectives that tend to emphasize effectiveness rather than efficiency Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 31) Human intuition does not play any role in a dynamic process Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 32) Efficiency means accomplishing the process with minimum resources Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 33) The instructions of a dynamic process are more rigid when compared to a structured process Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 34) Rather than being controlled, dynamic processes are adaptive Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 35) Information systems that support a dynamic process will restrict user behavior and innovation Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 36) A statement that the average daily wage of all the construction workers in Nevada is $250 is an example of information Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 37) Information is processed data Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 38) Information is data processed by sorting, filtering, grouping, comparing, summing, averaging, and other similar operations Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 39) Information is knowledge derived from recorded facts or figures Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 40) Information is data presented in a meaningful context Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 41) Unlike data, information remains constant from person to person Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 42) Good information is conceived from accurate, correct, and complete data Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 43) Data must be accurate in order to improve the quality of information Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 44) Information system users ought to rely on data if it appears in the context of a Web page Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 45) Good information requires that data be timely Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 46) For data to be worth its cost, an appropriate relationship must exist between the cost of data and its value Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 47) Data should be relevant both to the context and to the subject Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 48) Data needs to be sufficient for the purpose for which it was generated Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 49) Costs for developing an information system are the only costs associated with it Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 50) Information systems are not subject to financial analyses Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 51) A(n) is referred to as a sequence of activities for accomplishing a function A) value chain B) information system C) business process D) repository Answer: C Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 52) A(n) is referred to as a task within a business process A) activity B) schedule C) role D) plan Answer: A Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 53) A is referred to as a subset of the activities in a business process that is performed by a particular individual A) decision B) process C) role D) task Answer: C Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 54) In the BPMN model, a circle with a heavy border represents A) decisions B) the start of the business process C) the end of the business process D) activities Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 55) Decisions in the BPMN model are represented by A) diamonds B) triangles C) rectangles with rounded corners D) circles Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 56) A solid arrow in the BPMN model represents the A) beginning and end of the business process B) flow of data C) flow of action D) swimlanes Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 57) A dotted arrow in the BPMN model represents the A) flow of the data that is named on the arrow B) flow of action that is named on the arrow C) swimlanes D) beginning and end of the business process Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 10 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 58) In the BPMN model, the notation of a plus sign signifies the A) flow of the data that is named on an arrow B) details of the activity that are documented elsewhere C) flow of action that is named on an arrow D) beginning and end of the business process Answer: B Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 59) Which of the following is a benefit of standardizing business processes? A) It produces varying results B) It enables the business to enforce policies C) It provides non-scalable solutions D) It allows businesses to take further risks Answer: B Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 60) A(n) is a group of components that interact to achieve some purpose A) function B) end-user C) repository D) system Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 61) Which of the following components of a functioning information system includes the computer, keyboard, and monitor? A) software B) procedures C) data D) hardware Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 11 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 62) Which of the following components of an information system functions as a bridge between the human side and the machine side of the information system framework? A) data B) hardware C) software D) procedure Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 63) A company's serve as instructions for users to use and access data A) activities B) processes C) procedures D) repositories Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 64) provide instructions to the hardware in an information system A) Programs B) Activities C) Procedures D) Repositories Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 65) WordPerfect, a word-processing program, is an example of a A) data set B) procedure C) software D) hardware Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 12 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 66) Which of the following is the most important component of information systems? A) software B) hardware C) people D) procedure Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 67) A storage disk is an example of the component of an information system A) procedure B) data C) software D) hardware Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 68) Which of the following is considered a software when writing a class report? A) the steps used to start the program B) the content of the report C) the word-processing program D) the keyboard Answer: C Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 69) Customers' names, numbers, and addresses are an example of the component of an information system A) process B) data C) software D) hardware Answer: B Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 13 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 70) are components of an information system that anchor it to a process A) People B) Programs C) Repositories D) Procedures Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 71) Which of the following statements is true about processes and procedures of an information system? A) Each information system has a different procedure for every process it supports B) A process will have the same procedure for every information system C) Changes to an information system will not affect the processes that use it D) Procedures not change with the changes made to an information system Answer: A Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 72) Day-to-day operations, such as placing an order, are considered processes A) structured B) innovative C) dynamic D) unstructured Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 73) Which of the following is a feature of a structured process? A) It is a formally defined process B) Its procedures are supportive rather than prescriptive C) It changes rapidly as requirements and situations change D) It is adaptive rather than being controlled Answer: A Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 14 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 74) Which of the following is a feature of a dynamic process? A) It is a formally defined process B) It is difficult to change or modify C) It requires information systems that are prescriptive D) It is more dependent on effectiveness than efficiency Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 75) Which of the following is an example of a dynamic process? A) scheduling work shifts B) placing an order C) computing a sales commission D) deciding the location for a new store Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 76) is not expected in structured processes, nor is it generally appreciated or rewarded, unlike in the case of dynamic processes A) Efficiency B) Effectiveness C) Innovation D) Control Answer: C Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 77) is a critical part of structured processes A) Adaptation B) Innovation C) Rapid change D) Control Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 15 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 78) means accomplishing a certain process with minimum resources A) Efficiency B) Effectiveness C) Innovation D) Adaptation Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 79) The procedures for structured processes are A) innovative B) dynamic C) prescriptive D) supportive Answer: C Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 80) Which of the following is a characteristic of structured processes? A) They are prescriptive B) They are supportive C) They provide less-rigid instructions D) They are adaptive Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 81) Dynamic processes are evaluated on effectiveness more than efficiency because A) they are difficult to change B) the efficient use of resources does not matter in the case of such processes C) they are highly controlled and standardized D) they change so fast that it is often not possible to measure efficiency over time Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 16 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 82) Which of the following statements is true of dynamic processes? A) These processes are fixed in the flow among their activities B) These processes are, by definition, unstructured C) The BPMN diagrams for these processes are highly specific D) These processes rely, to a large extent, on human intuition Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 83) Procedures for dynamic processes are A) supportive B) prescriptive C) predefined D) standardized Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 84) is referred to as knowledge derived from recorded facts and figures A) Innovation B) Information C) Perception D) Cognition Answer: B Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 85) Which of the following refers to recorded facts and figures? A) data B) programs C) procedures D) policies Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 17 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 86) Which of the following statements is true about information? A) It remains the same from person to person B) It is different from data C) It is unprocessed data D) It is a recorded fact or figure Answer: B Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 87) A company's information system discovers a customer's poor credit history only after certain goods have been shipped to him The information produced, as a result, was not useful because the data was A) inaccurate B) insufficient C) irrelevant D) ill-timed Answer: D Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 88) In order to conceive good information, information system users must A) trust well-formatted reports B) rely on data that appears in the context of a Web page C) use data irrespective of accuracy D) cross-check data Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 89) Which of the following is a critical data characteristic? A) just sufficient B) random C) arrival after task completion D) high cost Answer: A Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 18 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 90) Data should be pertinent both to the context and subject at hand Which of the following data characteristics does this represent? A) cost effectiveness B) timeliness C) sufficiency D) relevancy Answer: D Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 91) What is a business process? Explain with the help of examples Answer: A business process is a sequence of activities for accomplishing a function For example, a university has business processes to: - Add a class to the business curriculum - Add a new section to a class schedule - Assign a class to a classroom - Drop a class section - Record final grades Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 92) What is an activity? Explain with the help of examples Answer: An activity is a task within a business process Examples of activities that are part of the process of recording final grades are: - Compute final grades - Fill out grade reporting form - Submit the grade recording form to the departmental administrator Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 93) Why organizations standardize business processes? Answer: Other than very small businesses, most businesses choose to standardize business processes For one, standardizing processes enables the business to enforce policies Standardized business processes also produce consistent results and are scalable Finally, standardized business processes reduce risk When every employee follows the same process, the opportunities for error and serious mistakes are greatly reduced Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 19 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 94) Define systems and information systems Answer: A system is a group of components that interact to achieve some purpose An information system (IS) is a group of components that interact to produce information The fivecomponent framework is a model of the components of an information system: computer hardware, software, data, procedures, and people Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 95) Explain the five-component framework of an information system with the help of an example Answer: The five-component framework is a model of the components of an information system: computer hardware, software, data, procedures, and people For example, when using a computer to write a class report, the student is using hardware (the computer, storage disk, keyboard, and monitor), software (Word, WordPerfect, or some other word-processing program), data (the words, sentences, and paragraphs in the report), procedures (the steps used to start the program, enter the report, print it, and save and back up the file), and people (the user) Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 96) How is the five-component framework used to estimate the scope of new information systems? Answer: The five-component framework can also be used when assessing the scope of new systems For example, when a vendor pitches the need for a new technology, the five components are used to assess how big of an investment that new technology represents What new hardware will the user need? What programs will the user need to license? What databases and other data must the user create? What procedures will need to be developed for both the use and administration of the information system? And, finally, what will be the impact of the new technology on people? Which jobs will change? Who will need training? How will the new technology affect morale? Will the user need to hire new people? Will the user need to reorganize? The five-component model helps the user think more completely about the impact of new technology Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 20 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 97) Arrange the components of an information system in the correct order based on difficulty and disruption Answer: It is a simple matter to order additional hardware Obtaining or developing new programs is more difficult Creating new databases or changing the structure of existing databases is still more difficult Changing procedures, requiring people to work in new ways, is even more difficult Finally, changing personnel responsibilities and reporting relationships and hiring and terminating employees are very difficult and very disruptive to the organization Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 98) Explain the role of procedures Answer: Procedures, one of the five components of an IS, anchor an IS to a process A procedure is a set of instructions for a person to follow when operating an IS Each information system has a different procedure for every process the information system supports For example, when a person creates a Facebook account, the Facebook IS gives him/her a procedure to follow in the form of instructions for filling out the on-screen application The Facebook information system includes a procedure for each of its processes–there is a procedure for creating an account, posting a picture, searching for friends, and setting privacy preferences Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 99) Explain the two broad categories of processes with relevant examples Answer: Structured processes are formally defined, standardized processes Most structured processes support day-to-day operations: scheduling work shifts, placing an order, computing a sales commission, and so forth Dynamic processes are less specific, more adaptive, and even intuitive Deciding whether to open a new store location and how best to solve a problem of poor employee training are examples of dynamic processes Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 21 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 100) List the characteristics of structured processes Answer: The characteristics of structured processes are: - They are formally defined processes - Process change is slow and difficult - Control is critical - Efficiency and effectiveness are important - Procedures are prescriptive - Innovation is not expected Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 101) What are the differences between structured processes and dynamic processes? Answer: Structured processes are formally defined processes, whereas dynamic processes are informal processes Unlike in the case of dynamic processes, changes to structured processes are slow, made with deliberation, and are difficult to implement Control is critical in structured processes, whereas adaptation is critical in dynamic processes Both efficiency and effectiveness are important in structured processes, whereas effectiveness is more important in dynamic processes Information systems are prescriptive in structured processes, whereas they are supportive in dynamic processes Innovation is not expected in structured processes, whereas, innovation is required in dynamic processes Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 102) List the characteristics of dynamic processes Answer: The characteristics of dynamic processes are: - They are informal processes - Process change is rapid and expected - Adaptation is critical - Effectiveness is typically more important than efficiency - Procedures are supportive - Innovation is required Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 22 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 103) Why is the distinction between structured and dynamic processes considered important? Answer: The distinction between structured and dynamic processes is considered important for various reasons The behavior one chooses as a business professional depends on the type of process in which he/she is involved Innovation will be expected in dynamic processes but discouraged in structured processes For information systems, this process distinction is important in the nature and character of the system The procedures of an IS used to support structured processes will restrict his/her behavior and readily (and successfully) frustrate any attempts at innovation In contrast, an IS that supports a dynamic process supports innovation Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 104) Define information and explain its characteristics Answer: A common definition for information is knowledge derived from data, whereas data is defined as recorded facts or figures First, information is not data, it is something more What makes information "more" is that it is meaningful Second, because meaning is in the eye of the beholder, information varies from person to person–different people often have different information Finally, information resides in the head of the person looking at the data If it's on a piece of paper or on a digital screen, it's data; if it's in the mind, it's information Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Describe the components of an information system (IS) 105) Explain the data factors that drive information quality Answer: First, good information is conceived from accurate, correct, and complete data; and it has been processed correctly Second, data must be timely When one participates in the development of an information system, timeliness will be part of the requirements that he/she specifies One needs to give appropriate and realistic timeliness needs Third, data should be relevant both to the context and to the subject Finally, data needs to be sufficient for the purpose for which it is generated, but just barely so Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 106) Why must data be timely in order to make information useful? Explain with an example Answer: Good information requires that data be timely–available in time for its intended use A monthly report that arrives six weeks late is most likely useless An information system that tells the user about the poor credit of a customer to which he/she has already shipped goods is unhelpful and frustrating In some cases, developing systems that provide data in near real time is much more difficult and expensive than producing data a few hours later Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 23 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc 107) Explain the reasons for the need of sufficient data Answer: Data needs to be sufficient for the purpose for which it is generated, but just barely so We are inundated with data; one of the critical decisions that each of us has to make each day is what data to ignore The higher an individual rises into management, the more data he/she will be given and, because there is only so much time, the more data he/she will need to ignore So, data should be sufficient, but just barely Difficulty: Easy AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 108) Explain the costs involved in data creation Answer: Data is not free There are costs for developing an information system, costs of operating and maintaining that system, and costs of time and salary for reading and processing the data the system produces For data to be worth its cost, an appropriate relationship must exist between the cost of data and its value Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information Technology Chapter LO: Course LO: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes 24 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc ... C) Changes to an information system will not affect the processes that use it D) Procedures not change with the changes made to an information system Answer: A Difficulty: Moderate AACSB: Information. .. processes? Answer: Other than very small businesses, most businesses choose to standardize business processes For one, standardizing processes enables the business to enforce policies Standardized... developing an information system, costs of operating and maintaining that system, and costs of time and salary for reading and processing the data the system produces For data to be worth its cost, an